The Unlikely Rise​ of Cheetozard

The story ⁣begins in Canton, Ga., at⁣ 1st and Goal Collectibles, a sports memorabilia and trading card​ shop. Jordan Tkacsik, while visiting his friend Paul Bartlett, noticed an unusual item among the ‌Pokémon ⁢collectibles: a Flamin’ Hot Cheeto strikingly similar too Charizard.

This particular Cheeto, dubbed “Cheetozard,” was housed in a small plastic container. Tkacsik, though not a Pokémon expert,‍ recognized its uniqueness and offered to create a better display case.

“I⁢ sort of made ​it my mission to see if I could ⁢do it,” he ⁣said.

Auction frenzy and a Surprising Sale Price

The dragon-shaped snack went up for auction and sparked a bidding frenzy,⁤ eventually selling for $72,000. With fees included, the final price reached nearly ‌$90,000.

Goldin Auctions, the auction house that handled the sale, specializes in rare and unique collectibles. They highlighted the item’s appeal to two distinct fan bases.

“Goldin specializes in rare and one-of-a-kind collectibles, and the Cheetozard is exactly this,” said Dave ‌Amerman, the head of consignment at Goldin. “Part of what makes ⁤this item so fun and unique‌ is that it bridges two fandoms — Pokémon⁣ and Cheetos.”

This sale underscores the growing market for unusual collectibles,where even a banana taped​ to a wall can fetch millions.

From eBay find to Auction Block

Paul Bartlett, a Pokémon enthusiast, acquired Cheetozard in 2019 after finding it listed on eBay. He ‌offered $350, which ‌was accepted.

“And then I totally forgot about it,” he said.

It wasn’t until he posted a photo of it on Instagram ​that its‍ cultural value became apparent. The photo went viral, prompting Bartlett ⁣to seek a custom case to protect his investment.

“But they all said the same thing — ⁤that they thought their ⁤encapsulation machines would end up breaking ⁢the ⁢Cheeto,” Mr. Bartlett said.

Tkacsik’s Custom Case: protecting a Priceless ⁣Snack

Jordan Tkacsik stepped in to design and build a ‌custom case for Cheetozard. ⁤Using computer-assisted design, he created templates for an inner container ​that would provide a snug fit.

“Oh, it never left the shop,” Mr. Tkacsik said. “I never wanted that responsibility.”

the resulting four-part case ‍was designed⁣ to be virtually ⁣impenetrable, protecting the Cheeto from physical damage.

“From a ⁣food-grade standpoint, cheetos ⁤have so⁢ many ​preservatives in there anyway,” he said.

The Journey to Auction

After a failed eBay sale due to shipping concerns, Bartlett ‍took Cheetozard to Collect-A-Con in Atlanta. There, he connected with Arena⁤ Club, an online marketplace for trading cards.

Arena Club purchased Cheetozard for $10,000⁣ and included it as a mystery prize in⁣ a Slab ‌Pack. The buyer⁣ of that pack then⁣ consigned Cheetozard to Goldin Auctions.

Bartlett‌ had a feeling the ⁢Cheeto would fetch a high price.

“I was like, ‘Man, this is going to sell for ‌close to $100,000, and I’m⁢ going to be sick,’” he recalled.

Auction Night​ Drama

The auction culminated in a flurry of bids, with the final price reaching $72,000 plus fees. This made ‌Cheetozard the most expensive food item ⁣ever auctioned by Goldin.

Despite his ⁤involvement, Tkacsik remains somewhat detached from the Pokémon phenomenon.

“I still don’t know anything about Pokémon,” he said.